Nicola Grossi never shied away from a challenge, no matter if it was a 120-pound weight loss or a 100-mile-plus cycling competition in the mountains.

Tragically, the 42-year-old La Mesa man lost his life Saturday in his effort to complete yet another arduous quest. While competing in the grueling Climb to Kaiser, a 155-mile ride that ascends from nearly sea level to a 9,200-foot Sierra Nevada pass, he lost control of his bicycle on a curving descent and crashed into a tree.

“He was doing what he loved. He biked to work every day and every Saturday he would ride up Mount Laguna three times,” said Jennifer Grossi, his wife of seven years. “I thought he was crazy, but he loved everything about cycling — being outdoors, the scenery and just knowing he could conquer something.”

Nicola discovered the world of cycling just a couple of years ago as a means to shed some pounds. Years of inactivity and feasting on pasta, sausage and rich desserts had taken a toll on his waistline.

“He was full-blooded Italian. He knew how to eat. He got up to almost 300 pounds,” Jennifer said. “He was only 5-feet-10, so with that much weight he was really a little butter ball.”

With the weight, came health problems. His blood pressure was sky-high, he developed liver problems and his knees throbbed with every step. Unless he took the weight load off his knee joints, knee replacement surgery was imminent, doctors said.

He decided it was finally time to lose the weight. So, as he had done so many times in his life, he turned to his father, Luigi, an Iron Man triathlete and avid cyclist for help.

“Nick looked up to his father, not only for his physical accomplishments, but also for all the accomplishments he had made in his life, like coming to this country and being a success,” Jennifer said. “He really admired his father and so he asked him if he would coach him in cycling.”

Accompanied by his father, Nicola started with bike rides a few miles long and soon built up to high-mileage competitive events in Palm Springs, Julian and Big Bear.

The more he cycled, the more weight came off and the more he focused on his health. He stopped smoking and gave up red meat and pasta, two of his longtime diet staples. He found he felt better and lost more weight eating mostly fresh fruits and vegetables.

In less than two years, he lost about 120 pounds and “felt great,” Jennifer said. “He was beyond proud of himself. And, we were so proud of him, too.”

Weight loss can be “huge for a person’s confidence,” said Dr. Sunil Bhoyrul, medical director for the bariatric surgery program at Scripps Memorial Hospital, La Jolla. “Not only does it change how they perceive themselves, but also how the rest of the world perceives them.”

Exercise can be extremely important to weight loss if it’s done at the proper intensity, Bhoyrul said. In order to lose weight through exercise, a person needs at least five hours a week of moderate intensity exercise or two hours of high intensity exercise.

“This guy was one of the minority who used exercise to produce weight loss,” Bhoyrul said. “Unfortunately, the 20 minutes many people spend at the gym isn’t going to do a thing to make them lose weight.”

After Nicola lost the weight and became fit, he dedicated himself to more challenging races. The last cycling race he completed was the King of the Mountain Series, 116 miles and at an altitude of 13,760 feet.

“After that, he thought he was ready for (Saturday’s) Climb to Kaiser, which was 155 miles. He was building up to do a 200-mile race later on,” his wife said. “He was very confident in his ability. He felt good and he took to the challenge and went for it.”

Organizers of Saturday’s cycling event say there will be a review of the ride and its safety measures. Another fatality happened nine years ago during the race along the same stretch where Nicola died.